A method of cooking a snack food, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a bed comprising a plurality of particles; b. heating and moving the particles in the bed to form a mobile cooking medium in the form of a heated, mobile bed of particles; c. providing a plurality of snack food precursor elements in the cooking medium thereby to cook the snack food precursor elements to form a plurality of cooked snack food pieces, wherein the heated, mobile particles transfer heat into the snack food precursor elements by thermal conduction; and d. separating the plurality of snack food pieces and the cooking medium.

Apparatuses for melting sugar and similar ingredients for use in the production of sugar-coated popcorn and/or other expanded food products are described herein. In various embodiments, a sugar melter can include a rotating, heated auger that moves sugar through the melter causing it to melt evenly without forming unmelted portions that may clog the melter and/or lead to waste. Various configurations of machines that can produce sugar-coated popcorn with the disclosed sugar melters are also described herein.

Apparatuses for melting sugar and similar ingredients for use in the production of sugar-coated popcorn and/or other expanded food products are described herein. In various embodiments, a sugar melter can include a rotating, heated auger that moves sugar through the melter causing it to melt evenly without forming unmelted portions that may clog the melter and/or lead to waste. Various configurations of machines that can produce sugar-coated popcorn with the disclosed sugar melters are also described herein.

In the method of the main patent, corn kernels coated with sunflower lecithin and additives are obtained. According to the improvements, the additives and sunflower lecithin can be added in liquid state, solid state or both, and can be mixed and subsequently filtered before reaching a final mixer (2) to which are added not only the additives and sunflower lecithin, in any state, but also the corn kernels (1), in order to coat the corn kernels inside the mixer. The improvements also provide for the substitution of sunflower lecithin by other compounds with which similar results can be obtained, such as fructose syrup, liquid glucose, corn syrup, molasses, inverted sugar syrup or cornstarch, the kernels obtained being able to be coated with more than one coating of a different nature.

In the method of the main patent, corn kernels coated with sunflower lecithin and additives are obtained. According to the improvements, the additives and sunflower lecithin can be added in liquid state, solid state or both, and can be mixed and subsequently filtered before reaching a final mixer (2) to which are added not only the additives and sunflower lecithin, in any state, but also the corn kernels (1), in order to coat the corn kernels inside the mixer. The improvements also provide for the substitution of sunflower lecithin by other compounds with which similar results can be obtained, such as fructose syrup, liquid glucose, corn syrup, molasses, inverted sugar syrup or cornstarch, the kernels obtained being able to be coated with more than one coating of a different nature.

Popcorn machines having process chambers with variable heating profiles, and associated systems and methods of operation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a popcorn machine includes a tube having an upper tube portion and a lower tube portion. The upper tube portion and the lower tube portion form a circumferential boundary of a tubular process chamber for popping popcorn. A first heating element can be positioned to heat a first heating zone, and a second heating element can be positioned to heat a second heating zone. A first thermocouple can be positioned to measure a temperature at a transition point between the first heating zone and the second heating zone, and a second thermocouple can be positioned to measure a temperature in the second heating zone. A rotatable auger can be positioned at least partially within the tube to move ingredients through the process chamber.

A heated air popcorn popper provides easy access and clean up through the use of a detachable popping pitcher. The detachable popping pitcher defines an interior popping volume in which heated air is used to cause unpopped kernels to pop and form popped popcorn. The detachable popping pitcher includes a pitcher handle allowing a user to grasp and manipulate the popping pitcher when selectively detaching and attaching the popping pitcher to the popcorn popper. The detachable popping pitcher is completely removable from a popper housing such that loading unpopped kernels into the popping pitcher is simplified and the user need not be concerned about access being awkward or limited. The detachable popping pitcher can be fully removed from the popper housing following popping such that any remaining unpopped or popped kernels can be emptied from the detachable popping pitcher and the detachable popping pitcher can be cleaned.

A heated air popcorn popper provides easy access and clean up through the use of a detachable popping pitcher. The detachable popping pitcher defines an interior popping volume in which heated air is used to cause unpopped kernels to pop and form popped popcorn. The detachable popping pitcher includes a pitcher handle allowing a user to grasp and manipulate the popping pitcher when selectively detaching and attaching the popping pitcher to the popcorn popper. The detachable popping pitcher is completely removable from a popper housing such that loading unpopped kernels into the popping pitcher is simplified and the user need not be concerned about access being awkward or limited. The detachable popping pitcher can be fully removed from the popper housing following popping such that any remaining unpopped or popped kernels can be emptied from the detachable popping pitcher and the detachable popping pitcher can be cleaned.

An improved popcorn popper (10) has effluent filtration structure to treat the oil laden vapor and steam effluent from popping popcorn within the popper and with discharge of effluent having less than 5 milligrams of particulates per cubic meter of effluent discharged directly into the area in which the popper (10) is located. There is no need for external hoods or for external ducting of effluent to outside the area and facility in which the popcorn is popped. The filtering is carried out within the popper (10). A fire suppression system is provided to handle fires even within the kettle (14). Methods are disclosed.

An improved popcorn popper (10) has effluent filtration structure to treat the oil laden vapor and steam effluent from popping popcorn within the popper and with discharge of effluent having less than 5 milligrams of particulates per cubic meter of effluent discharged directly into the area in which the popper (10) is located. There is no need for external hoods or for external ducting of effluent to outside the area and facility in which the popcorn is popped. The filtering is carried out within the popper (10). A fire suppression system is provided to handle fires even within the kettle (14). Methods are disclosed.